FC Dallas 2, Seattle Sounders 1 | 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs Match Recap

Alicia Rodriguez

FC Dallas won the game, but ultimately lost the series, as they defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-1 at Toyota Stadium in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal on Sunday. The result means Seattle advance to the Western Conference Championship on a 4-2 aggregate score, after winning the first leg 3-0.

Seattle had the first clear chance of the game, as Nelson Valdez sent a deflected cross to the far post in the 16th minute, only for Jordan Morris' stretching effort to go off target.

Dallas found the breakthrough in the series in the 25th minute. Michael Barrios sent a throw-in on the near side to Atiba Harris, who brought down the ball and sent a cross into the box, which Tesho Akindele headed in to give the hosts the lead in the match.

Seattle nearly knotted up the match in the 37th minute, but Nicolas Lodeiro's free kick was pushed off the post by Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz.

The second half began with much more open play than the first half, and Seattle leveled the score in the 54th minute, as Tyrone Mears stole the ball from Walker Zimmerman in Dallas' end and sent a low cross that Lodeiro tapped in.

But Dallas came right back to take a 2-1 lead in the game two minutes later, as Mauro Rosales sent a diagonal ball into the box that Harris headed across the face of goal, with Maxi Urruti then heading the ball in from point-blank range.

Despite that, Dallas could not find any more goals, and their memorable 2016 season is now over. The Sounders, meanwhile, are still alive in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, and will aim to overcome Colorado and reach their first MLS Cup final on Dec. 10.

Box Score

25' – DAL – Tesho Akindele (Atiba Harris, Michael Barrios)
54' – SEA – Nicolas Lodeiro (Tyrone Mears)
56' – DAL – Maxi Urruti (Mauro Rosales, Atiba Harris)
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Three Things

THE WIN IS NOT ENOUGH: FC Dallas may have notched the victory on the night, but the 3-0 loss in the first leg proved to be too high a mountain to scale in the series. For any team that falls in the playoffs, the exit will sting, but Dallas will likely hold bittersweet feelings following this result. They failed in their quest to earn a domestic treble this season, but on the bright side, they broke a 19-year trophy drought this year with the US Open Cup and Supporters' Shield. And they will almost certainly be considered a title favorite again in 2017.
LODEIRO SHOWS VALUE AGAIN: The Sounders are looking stronger every week, and despite the loss in this game did what they needed to reach the Western Conference Championship for the third time in five years. The player tasked to boss the series again for the Sounders? It has to be Lodeiro, who scored his third goal in the series against Dallas – an absolutely vital goal to help kill off FCD's hopes. As a result, Lodeiro will definitely be the focal point for the Rapids to aim to neutralize in the next round.
CONCERN FOR MORRIS? Morris, who was called up to the US national team for two vital World Cup qualifying games on Sunday, left the game at halftime with what was described in the television broadcast as a thigh injury. That raises two questions for the coming weeks. First, will Morris be able to join the USMNT for the Hexagonal games? And second, will he be at risk to miss out part or all of the Western Conference Championship? No indication during the game, so stay tuned on that storyline.